http://www.agsem.com/200804-mcdowellf.html

Each and every Saturday morning, a dedicated group of volunteers from the Short Track Railroad meets at the AGSEM to work on our model train layout. We have made a lot of progress and our members have logged hundreds of hours in the effort.

As you may be aware, we actually have two large train layouts in our building. The oldest is a modular (and despite its 20' by 30' size) portable layout that has sustained our club for 17 years. The other, the Donner Pass Exhibit (DPE) is the large, permanent layout that goes around the outer walls of our building. The DPE has been the focus of our efforts in the past couple of months.

There are currently three "divisions" of that effort: the track laying, scenery and planning. Our tracklayers set the pace, as not much else can occur until they complete their task. We now have completed some of the railroad yards, complete with operating switches (we call them by the prototypical and thus more correct term, "turnouts"). Operating railroad yards are the "heart" of any railroad because that is where carloads are sorted for delivery. Our yards can now hold over 100 train cars and more track is being laid as I write this.

Our scenery folks are busy too. Apparently there is some significant tectonic activity as the mountain range on the south end of the building is rising concurrently with the trackwork. Tunnels and rock formations are the current focus of our workers. We call this area the "Cape Horn" peninsula.

Lastly, all the progress is causing our planners to stay ahead of the effort. We are now addressing future trackwork and soon, our first buildings. Another mile of track was laid just recently, just in time to show off at the recent Civil War battles. Please come and see it, we would love to have you as our guest!

Thanks to all our volunteers: Jim W, Tim W, Don D, Milt P, Blanche C, Dave C, John S, Pete S, Paul S, Jim K, Bill E, Fred M, Ross R, Tim E and the many others who are pitching in with our crew!